Page 106 of The Alpha’s Heir

I eased him to the sidewalk. The main doors of the apartment complex slammed open.

“Grandpa!” The young woman rushed to his side. She was early-twenties, still wearing her uniform from work for the day.

Protocol said I needed to bring him in, maybe her too, for dissent and disrupting the peace.

I was so tired that I wanted nothing more than to sit on the curb next to them and close my eyes.

“Get him inside,” I told her. My tone left no room for argument.

Her hands shook as she pulled him to his feet.

The man swayed, pointing a finger in my direction. “You… son… you work for… me.”

“Hush now,” she cried, hurrying to help him inside.

I waited until the doors closed. Until the city street was quiet again. And didn’t bother to look up at the windows, where I was sure we had an audience.

I crawled back into the vehicle, past the stunned faces of my unit, and climbed onto my seat again.

“Roll out,” I told Marcus.

The tire treads ate the asphalt beneath us.

“Lieutenant?” Corporal Yemen asked.

After too long a beat of silence, I sighed, knowing I owed them some sort of explanation.

I wished it was better than the one I had.

“Things are only going to get worse from here,” I said. “I’m not ready to start shooting citizens.”

38

Meg

I kept my head held high as I made my way to the sitting room, hearing the anxious whispers behind those closed doors stop abruptly as I approached.

Whoever was in there, was scared beyond reason. I could scent Justus and Helen among the newcomers, and I hesitated outside the door, wondering what I was getting myself into.

How about we just leave? My wolf lay low, growling. Something isn’t right.

Like the fact that I failed them?

Though Morrigan’s judgment held less of a sting now. The more I heard about the humans and the city of Ethica, the more I wondered what exactly I was working so hard to save.

But these were Roman’s people. Like it or not, he felt a duty to them, and what kind of mate would I be if I didn’t try to help?

I took one more deep breath, ready to face whatever Helen was going to throw at me, as I pushed open the door.

The silence screamed warnings.

My gaze immediately went to Helen, who stood by the large windows where rain beat against the glass and made a muddy mess of the gardens below. Candlelight flickered, casting shadows around the room, and illuminating Helen’s silhouette as she hugged herself.

Beside her, frozen by the bar cart, was Justus with his back turned towards me.

My wolf growled louder as I looked around the room. All six of the council I’d seen my first day in Ethica sat unmoving on the couches, staring at nothing with vacant, lifeless eyes.

Gasping, I took a step back.